Christ Stories: Jesus, Our Immanuel

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”             Luke 1:31-33

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

    and they shall call his name Immanuel”

(which means, God with us).              Matthew 1:21-23

On this Christmas Eve, we are reminded of the birth of our Savior, Jesus. Jesus, whose name means “the Lord is Salvation,” was born in the humblest of circumstances with the greatest purpose already given to him. Many prophets spoke of this long-awaited king hundreds of years prior to this point. The angels heralded the news of the birth of the Son of the Most High. The star guided foreign seekers to Immanuel, God with us. God spoke through people, angels, and even stars to ensure we would not miss this unprecedented arrival of the Lord of our salvation, God with us. And yet, amidst all the fanfare, Jesus was born in a stable in a small village to a young virgin.

God had dwelt with his people before, first in the Garden—when humans were unstained by sin—then in the Tabernacle, and finally in the Temple— each place, while amongst his people, were still quite separate from them. This time, though, God chose to get dirty and humble himself to become the lowliest of people. He was no longer only with us when we were clean enough to enter his presence. No, Jesus’ humble beginnings illustrate that he now enters into our messy lives, truly “God with us”—in our pain, in our temptations, in our weaknesses and sorrows.

And he is our Salvation. Immanuel’s purpose is written in his name, “the Lord is Salvation.” He does not leave us in the mess to fend for ourselves. He gives us healing, resistance, strength, and comfort. He walks through the valleys with us. And after all that, he saves us from our sin. Salvation from sin and its conclusion is freely given to all who trust in Jesus. The gift of salvation is the greatest gift any of us could get.

This Christmas, let us remember God’s deep love for us in sending the Son of the Most High to take on human flesh to be God with us and the Lord of our salvation. Let us be generous with the grace given to us and extend that gift to others. May we praise him, the Son of the Most High, for joining us in our broken state and lifting us out of the depths of our sin and into his marvelous light.

Advent 2022: His Peace

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Editor’s Note: The theme for this year’s Advent reflections is Immanuel, Jesus has Come Here. God has always been present in the world, but with the coming of Jesus as an infant, he is also made present with his people. Our sin separates us from God, but through a baby, Immanuel, he draws us close.

This week, as we explore the blessings of Immanuel, God with us, we finish our Advent reflections by thinking on the peace that comes from Jesus.

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Sometimes the carols from our youth hold a message for today. I feel that way about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”

You may not know that the poem which is now set to music was written by Longfellow on Christmas Day 1863, two years after his wife had died, in the depths of the Civil War, while nursing his soldier son. Longfellow was an abolitionist and was deeply depressed following his wife’s horrific death, but somehow the church bells that Christmas morning reminded him of a deeper truth, a truth that was stronger than his depression and pain.

One of the verses begins, “In despair I bowed my head; ‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said; ‘for hate is strong, and mocks the song of peace on earth, good-will to men.’” 

That’s often how I feel. Peace and good-will are platitudes that are thrown around, but people don’t have the courage, or perhaps the example to follow, to make that a reality.  How can we?  It is not human nature to offer good-will to others, especially when they are outside our group, outside our understanding.  But it is in God’s nature to do so. He is the one who sent His son from heaven to earth to show us a way of peace. The song continues, “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: ‘God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men.’”

This verse is a lyrical hint of God’s redemption described in Jesus’ own words in John 16:33,

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus has overcome the world!

As we come to this last week—this last day—of Advent, on Christmas Eve and are once again confronted with the unbelievable accounts of Jesus’ birth—His coming—let us not make it a puzzle to be somehow cleverly solved but rather take a moment to peacefully ponder(1) all that was, all that is, and all that is to come, proclaiming again, with great confidence that Jesus is our peace.

(1.      Dr. Natasha Duquette, Vice-President Academic and Professor of Literature, Our Lady Seat of Wisdom College, Barry’s Bay, Ontario, Canada, https://ccca.biola.edu/advent/2022/#day-nov-29 )

Reflection:

1. Write in a journal some things that cause you stress, that take away your rest.  Then in a prayer, say “Jesus, ______________ is taking away my peace.  But I know that you are greater than this. It does not surprise you. It does not overwhelm you like it does me. I am claiming your peace, knowing you have already overcome this. Help me to rest in you.”

2. Find a bell, not a jingle bell, but something louder, deeper. If you can’t find a bell, make one. Fill a metal container with some water and strike it. Ring it and remember that God is not dead. He does not sleep.  Read aloud Psalm 121. If you can’t find or make a bell, go for a walk and listen for the carillon of a local church to remind you of the truths of Psalm 121.

3. Invite your family to sit and experience the quiet.  Pause with your eyes closed. Say “Jesus” and then let yourself lean into the silence for 60 seconds. Open your eyes and do a silent group hug. This may be the only quiet you get in a chaotic, celebratory week.  Enjoy it!

Advent 2021: Christ

God rest ye merry gentlemen, let nothing you dismay.

Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day

to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray.

Oh tidings of comfort and joy!

Our Christ has come! The Greek word Christos, which we’ve translated as Christ, literally means Anointed One. Jesus, the Anointed One, has come.

A key ingredient in the sacred anointing oil used at the temple was myrrh, the very gift that the wise men gave to Jesus when they visited the one the star had led them to see. This holy oil was only to be used on priests—those in service to God—not on “ordinary people.”1 (Exodus 30:22-33) Did the wise men know they were offering the anointing oil to the Anointed One? What does it mean to be the Anointed One, the Christ? 

Only two types of people were anointed: priests, as mentioned above, and kings. Jesus was anointed as both our high priest2 (Hebrews 5:5-10) and our king3 (Matthew 2:2). To what purpose was Jesus anointed as king and high priest?

When Jesus first starts His ministry, recorded in Luke 4, He reads from Isaiah 61:1-2 and 42:7.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

    because he has anointed me

    to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives

    and recovering of sight to the blind,

    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

Jesus, the Christ, came to set all things right and to free us from being bound by sin and Satan’s power. This truly is something in which we can take comfort and joy. Jesus Christ was born to save us all from Satan’s power while we were still blind from sin. As our high priest, He offered the ultimate sacrifice to atone for our sins once and for all. As our king, He leads us into an everlasting peace, and His perfect kingdom will never cease. He is our high priest and our king forever.

Lord, I pray that we may remember the hope we have in the Anointed One beyond this Christmas season and in our daily lives. May we put Christ on the throne as our king, and may we go to Christ as our priest in our trials. Thank you for rescuing us from sin and leading us in the way everlasting. To you be all glory and power forever and ever. Amen.

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1. Exodus 30:22-33-- The Lord said to Moses, “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane, and 500 of cassia, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, and a hin of olive oil. And you shall make of these a sacred anointing oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing oil. With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the testimony, and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils and the basin and its stand. You shall consecrate them, that they may be most holy. Whatever touches them will become holy. You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. And you shall say to the people of Israel, ‘This shall be my holy anointing oil throughout your generations. It shall not be poured on the body of an ordinary person, and you shall make no other like it in composition. It is holy, and it shall be holy to you. Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an outsider shall be cut off from his people.’”

2. Hebrews 5:5-10-- So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

3. Matthew 2:2-- saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Advent 2021: Peace

“The people walking in darkness

have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness

a light has dawned…”

Isaiah 9:2

When we walk in darkness, we fumble and grasp for something to hold onto, looking for any sliver of light to lead us, guide us, and help us find our way. This year, I feel as though I come weary and limping into the Advent season. The heaviness and brokenness of the world we live in weighs on me. The brokenness, division, and disunity I see within the Church breaks my heart. The brokenness I see in myself, how often I mess up, fall short, disappoint those I love, and don’t reflect Jesus the way I want to. Everything just feels broken, heavy, dark, and I’m grasping for the light. 

And so, we light the Advent candle of peace today—and we wait.

We yearn and search for peace. God feels silent. We feel lost. We’re overwhelmed—burned out. Fear cripples us. Worry is our constant companion. We try meditation, self-care, setting intentions, vacations. We sedate, medicate, placate—all to find some relief from the heaviness of life. And while at times those things may be helpful and even necessary, there is only one source that can offer us true peace, Jesus, our Prince of Peace—my Prince of Peace.

And as the candle here offers a flicker of light in this great room, it only takes a flicker of His light to break through, pierce the darkness, and lead us home to Jesus, the light and source of true peace. 

“For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

His light fills the cracks in my broken heart, infusing a peace that surpasses all understanding. His peace replaces the fear with trust, my worries with His promises. 

Emmanuel has come. God is WITH us.

Because He is with me, I will not be afraid.

Because He is with me, I will not be shaken.

Because He is with me, His peace surrounds and comforts me.

Because He is with me, I can rejoice.

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9

We still wait—for His second coming, for Him to establish His kingdom and restore all things.  But we should not wait passively. We can talk with Jesus, linger in His presence, allow His Holy Spirit to lead us. We can extend His peace and hope to others – offering Jesus as the light to the darkness. His with-ness allows us to bear witness to others the peace and joy that can be found even in the midst of pain and suffering. We can remind one another of His promises, found in His word. 

His peace is with me—His peace is with you—because the Lord is near. Emmanuel has come. So let us, this weary world, rejoice!

What areas of my life do I need His peace?

How have I felt His nearness lately?

How can I share His peace with others?

Dear God, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Emmanuel, God with us. When Your love came down, light broke through the darkness. Your nearness and with-ness allow us to withstand the storms of life, grounding our faith with Your supernatural peace that surpasses all understanding. When the weight of this world overwhelms us, or our circumstances feel out of control, may we run to You, Jesus, and not to the temporary band-aids this world offers. May we allow You to hold us, comfort us, and heal us with Your perfect love, which casts out all fear. Let us offer Him the rags of our sin and brokenness and allow Him to clothe us with His righteousness through Jesus. May we no longer walk in the shame of our failures and shortcomings, but may we walk in this world as Your beloved and dance to the songs You sing over us. Oh, Prince of Peace, be our Peace at Christmas, and always.  Amen.

Advent 2021: Hope

O come, O come, Immanuel,

and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel

shall come to you, O Israel.

Imagine having a mentor and friend who is determined to keep you on the right path.  For years, they spent time with you, listened, nurtured you and gave rock-solid advice.  They knew your deepest secrets and still made you feel loved and accepted. They were present in good times and in the bad and provided comfort and peace as only they could. If they knew they wouldn’t be around for any period of time, they sent someone – someone you could also trust – in their absence.  You never felt alone or lost. Then, one day, they disappeared.  You left voicemails, texted, emailed, and even dropped by their house.  All possible ways of reaching them resulted in the same thing – dead silence.  You trusted this person so deeply and you were ghosted. You wondered what you did wrong.  Maybe you even wondered if they were just pretending to have your best interests at heart.

In ancient times, the Israelites had God’s presence with them for thousands of years, whether His physical manifestation or an anointed prophet.  The Israelites had suffered through a division of the nation, multiple invasions from foreign tribes, and were eventually exiled from their home. He promised he would send a Deliverer and, over the centuries, the Israelites were reminded of that hope whenever their focus turned to earthly things or the troubles of the day:

Isaiah 7:13 - Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

Micah 5:2 - But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.

Suddenly, God went silent. Wars and invasions assaulted them from every side, and the silence continued for 400 years. To put this into perspective, the pilgrims celebrated their first harvest festival with the Native Americans 400 years ago in 1621. Consider the number of generations and events that have passed since then. The Israelites had to wait and hope in the silence for deliverance.

As Christians, we are also waiting – waiting and hoping for His promised return and restoration of all that is broken. We have the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us and, for more than 2000 years, we still wait.

Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful

1 Peter 1:13 - Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Advent is a season of preparation and focus on the coming of Christ.  As we reflect on the birth of Christ and its profound impact on humanity, let’s consider the hope that we have. God sent His promised Deliverer though Israel had to wait a long time and it wasn’t what they expected.

Reflect on the times when God sent you the deliverance or help you needed but it was in a manner or timing you didn’t expect. How does this bring you hope in this Christmas season and for the future?

Advent: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.” Luke 2:14

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Tonight, in this fourth week of Advent, we consider the peace brought to us through Jesus. It is a peace that is not dependent on our situations, but rather one that goes beyond our understanding. When we look at the world around us, we see chaos, fear, anxiety, hate, grief. We may get caught up in the storm swirling around us—threatening to drag us down.

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth, I said
For hate is strong
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead nor doth He sleep
The wrong shall fail
The right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

At the moment we start to lose hope, Jesus is there, reaching to pull us out of the depths. We have peace because the baby who came over 2000 years ago overcame sin, death, and darkness. When we focus on Christ’s redemptive power, we can be led through the darkest valleys and come out victorious. Our peace comes from knowing that Love wins in the end.

1. Who or what am I focusing on this Christmas season?

2. How can I allow Christ to lead me in peace when going through hardship?

Lord, thank you for the peace we have in You that goes beyond understanding. May we be a people who draw close to you when life gets difficult, and may we receive peace in knowing that you have overcome the world. May we share that peace as a beacon of hope in a fallen world, just as Christmas bells ring out a reminder of your victory. I pray that we ring out your victory over darkness now and in our daily lives beyond this Christmas season. Amen

Advent: O Come, O Come Emmanuel

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.”  Romans 8:18-19

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

 Today, in this third week of Advent, we reflect on what it means to wait. For many of us, this season has involved a lot of waiting, hoping and expecting. We wait for when things will go back to the way they are supposed to be. We hope for a cure. We have expectations for a future beyond what we are currently enduring.

The Christian life is, and always was, centered on waiting, hoping, and expecting. Waiting for God to defeat, once and for all, sin and death and return things to the way they are supposed to be. Hoping for a cure for the world’s separation from God. Expecting that one day Jesus (Emmanuel, God with us) will come to usher in a future far beyond this present time, just as he did that first Christmas.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

And death's dark shadows put to flight

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

Shall come to thee, O Israel

1. Do I I live with an undercurrent of waiting for, hoping on, and expecting Jesus’ arrival?

2. What does it mean to be sorrowful yet always rejoicing, especially around Christmas?

Father, we come in awe of how you opened the heavens and came down, sending Jesus on our behalf, to take upon himself the dark shadows of death that we deserve. But now we find ourselves in the “already, but not yet”. Through the cross, we see evidence of your victory, but still we wait. We already have the promise of all things being made new, and all sad things coming undone, but we realize, sometimes painfully so, that we’re not there yet. In the midst of our waiting, help us to rejoice with hope and expectations. Increase our faith in your arrival.

Amen

Advent: Go Tell It On the Mountain

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear.  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord’” Luke 2:8-11

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

This Advent season, all we have to do is look around us—in our neighborhoods, our work places, our communities, our nation— to see the weight of sin and brokenness, and the longing for healing and wholeness. Our world can look so divided; our conversations with and actions towards each other, so unloving at times. It is into this world our Father sent His one and only perfect Son on our behalf. The infant Christ left the perfection of Heaven for earth in the greatest rescue mission this world has ever known. Why? Because God so loved us.  If we allow that love poured out on us to transform our hearts and minds, that love will be poured out into our families and into our communities as well. This message of God’s great love for us in the gift of a Savior— lived out in our words, and evidenced through our actions—is exactly the love we all need most desperately.   

 Down in a lowly manger

The humble Christ was born

And God sent us salvation

That blessed Christmas morn.

1. Where do I see in myself the need for Christ’s true, perfect love to bring healing and wholeness?

2. Where do I see around me the need for Christ’s true, perfect love to bring healing and wholeness?

3. How can the reality of Jesus’ love for me be manifested in how I love those around me?

Jesus, we thank You that You came to this earth, exchanging the glories of Heaven for the brokenness and sin of this earth, because your love for us is so great. But that You did not just come to walk among us, but to transform us from the inside out with the magnitude of Your love. That it is only through recognizing the depth of Your love for us that we can begin to love those around us. May we be people who are marked by Your love, now at Christmas and every day. Amen

Advent: Joy to the World

"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people." Luke 2:9-10

“So, you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him Abba Father. For his spirit joins our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.”  Romans 8:15-16

This first week of Advent, we reflect on joy. Joy is the fruit of an intimate relationship with our Heavenly Father; a closeness that knows our faults, doubts, and insecurities, and still invites us to know Him as Abba Father, our Daddy God. What in this world could compare with being fully known and fully loved by the Maker of heaven and earth?  To be secure in the warmth of our Father’s embrace, having the confidence of His peace, and knowing that He is always with us in any and every situation, our Emmanuel.  Instead, we often look for our validity and meaning in the empty and temporary things of this world, hoping that this time will somehow be different. Again and again, we turn our backs on our Father who gave everything to bring us joy.  

This Advent season, we recognize that God gave us that everything in the form of His one and only perfect son. Jesus desperately wants us to find joy in Him. So much so that He pursued us, entering this world as an infant, and later enduring the cross it took to provide it.  If we recognize this gift of a Savior, God welcomes us with open arms, wanting to be our source of joy.   

Joy to the world. The Lord has come.

Let earth receive her king

Let every heart prepare him room

And heaven and nature sing.

1. Do you feel joy as you enter the Advent season this year?

2. How does knowing God as Father bring us lasting joy?

3. What will you do to know Him more?

Jesus, we praise You that You came specifically to bring us joy.  A joy that we will never find in anything in this world.  As an uncertain year comes to a close, we know with certainty we can find joy in You apart from our circumstances. Each day be our source of joy, help us to turn away from the comforts of this world, and run to You for identity, hope, and peace that only You can bring. Amen.